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Tuesday 26 June 2018

The Regional Meeting of Political Directors of Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS

Vocal synthesis
The Regional Meeting of Political Directors of Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS

Counterterrorism: US Special Presidential Envoy Lauds HM the King's Ideology to Deconstruct ISIS

US Special Presidential Envoy for Global Coalition to Counter ISIL Brett McGurk highlighted, Tuesday in Skhirat, the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI in deconstructing the extremist organization's ideology.

Speaking at a press conference with Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, the US official noted the "fundamental" contributions of the Kingdom of Morocco in efforts to fight the terrorist group since the start of the coalition campaign.

Morocco has shown leadership in the anti-ISIS coalition through significant and ongoing contributions, said McGurk at the press conference following the Regional meeting of Political Directors of the Global Coalition to defeat ISIS, convened to tackle the threat of this terrorist group in Africa.

"We are particularly grateful to Morocco's leadership and its contributions" within the framework of the Anti-ISIS international coalition, said the US President's personal envoy, noting that the coalition has done "much progress "in its efforts to erase the terrorist organization and thwart its influence in many parts of the world, including Africa.

McGurk noted that the meeting, hosted by Morocco with the participation of more than 50 delegations, including the 24 African members, was marked by success and focus on means to complete the work undertaken in particular in Iraq and Syria to continue the fight against ISIS.
MAP 26 June 2018

Morocco a 'Decisive' Player in Global Efforts to Counter Terrorism (US official)

Morocco has played a "decisive" role at the forefront of global efforts to fight terrorism, said, Tuesday in Skhirat, President Trump's Special Envoy for the Coalition to Defeat ISIS, Brett McGurk.

McGurk, who was speaking at the opening of the Regional Meeting of Political Directors of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS on the threat of this terrorist group in Africa, recalled that the Kingdom had set up a field medico-surgical hospital in Jordan that provides care to thousands of Syrian refugees and that it co-chairs the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF).

The US official took this opportunity to thank Morocco for the efforts it is making, under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, alongside Saudi Arabia and many countries participating in this meeting in the fight against the hateful ideology of ISIS and other terrorist organizations.

"We are determined not to get quick victories against ISIS, but rather to put it through a permanent defeat," McGurk said, explaining that a definitive defeat means more than the collapse of the so-called "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria.
MAP 26 June 2018

Regional Meeting of Political Directors of Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Opens in Skhirat

The Regional meeting of the Political Directors of the Global Coalition to defeat ISIS opened, Tuesday in Skhirat, with the participation of President Trump's Special Envoy for the Coalition, Brett McGurk, and minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Nasser Bourita.

The meeting, which is bringing together a select group of Coalition against Daesh (ISIS) member countries, will be an opportunity for Coalition partners to discuss the next steps to ensure a lasting defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, as well as ways to speed up the collective approach to combat the global ambitions of this terrorist group.

The gathering will also tackle ISIS's presence in Africa and will have a detailed discussion of priorities for the Coalition's multiple lines of action, notably stabilization, foreign terrorist combatants, counter-terrorism funding and anti-radicalization messages.

MAP 26 June 2018


Communication Strategy of Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS 'Would Benefit from African Resources

The communication strategy of the Global Coalition to defeat ISIS "would benefit from African resources and perspectives," said, Tuesday in Skhirat, minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Nasser Bourita.

The minister, who was speaking at the opening of the Regional Meeting of Political Directors of the Global Coalition to defeat ISIS on the threat of this terrorist group in Africa, said that "the fight against ISIS's propaganda in Africa can only be effective if the messages and vectors developed by the Coalition take into account the subtleties of the ground."

The redeployment of Daesh (ISIS) fighters to Africa also requires a form of cooperation with African States that can improve their knowledge of the dynamics of their redeployments, anticipate the formation of sustainable fiefdoms and strengthen the detection capabilities of African partners, the minister stressed.

The effectiveness of the fight against terrorism in Africa "requires adequate consideration of the root causes of this scourge (...) without which our action will remain in vain", he noted, adding that the vulnerabilities linked to the impact of climate change on African populations, the impoverishment of entire communities due to the absence of inclusive economic growth, aggravated by a galloping demography, constitute fertile ground for the infiltration and subsequent uprooting of terrorist groups and their extremist ideologies.

Also, "the absence of cooperation that is equal to the growing evolution of these challenges, combined with the inconsistency of certain approaches adopted, expose African States to multiform pressures," the minister noted.

Africa "needs more than ever a common, immediate and determined action to promote its political stabilization, strengthen its security and support its economic development to enable it to regain its primary vocation, namely that of a real platform of attraction and a space of development and stability", he pointed out.

Bourita stressed that "African countries have demonstrated their determination, their awareness and their willingness to take ownership of the problems hindering their development and their security, by proposing pragmatic, concrete and ambitious strategies".

In this regard, the minister recalled that Morocco, "aware of its responsibilities towards its home continent (...) is committed, within the framework of the Royal Vision, to develop an innovative model of cooperation with its African brothers", noting that this model has been transformed over time "into a true global partnership aiming at a lasting stability of the continent and putting the African citizen at the center of our common action".

In 2017, Bourita said, about 343 terrorist attacks took place in Africa, claiming at least 2,600 victims, 22 times more than in Europe.

The largest Al-Qaida affiliated group is currently in Africa, with over 6,000 fighters. The elements affiliated to this group in West Africa alone are estimated at 3,500 combatants.

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